To bed with no dinner? Not exactly…

So by now at least a few of you eager beavers will have had a good poke around in this year’s conference programme so you’ll probably know that we’ve decided to go for something a bit different on the social side of things in 2009.

I have to admit when I first heard that there wasn’t going to be a conference dinner I was a little deflated. Of course we all go to conference to be inspired and to learn and share but let’s face it the chance to schmooze, network and have a bit of a knees up with colleagues from around the country is a big part of the experience too (I still have trouble explaining to my civilian friends that librarians en masse = party but there’s no convincing some people).

So some of you may well be grumbling a bit about it, and fair enough, it’s not like we get a lot of slap up dos to go to is it? Where are our Oscars? Our Grammys? Our Golden Guitars? But I have to say that I’ve been really impressed with the Social Sub-committee’s ability to, if I may borrow the conference slogan from last year, think “outside the box” and be innovative in their approach. After all, necessity is the mother of invention. They’ve put together a really cool package and secured one of the hippest and most dynamic precincts in Christchurch for our use and I for one am really looking forward to it.

Basically SOL Square (SOL standing for “South Of Lichfield”) is a quadrant of bars and eateries that offers something for everyone. So if you’re looking to have a full meal, yakitori, champagne or just bar snacks the venues in the area can provide. Also there’s a range of “ambience” on offer so while some of you may wish to stick to a cosy corner in a wine bar, others may choose to shake their booty under disco balls at Culture Club, and yet others might like to get into enthusiastic conversation in the retro-time-warp environs of The Fish & Chip shop.

All the bars, cafés and restaurants are in close proximity to each other around a central courtyard so “bar-hopping” is easy and you’ll be able to flit about as you please or stay put if you like where you are. Another positive of not being tied to a formal dinner venue is that those not officially attending conference will be able to come and hang out.

If you’re a little bit curious about what SOL Square might be like, take a look at the pictures we took on our very strenuous “scouting mission” last month (it’s a tough job but somebody’s got to do it) or have a look at the Flickr snaps of others.

If you’ve got any comments to make about the non-trad nature of conference’s social event this year feel free to share them with us.

We’ll be getting into the nitty gritty of the conference programme right here on the blog in coming weeks with our top picks, more info on speakers, guides to the best that Christchurch has to offer and much, much more so check back here often.

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13 Responses to “To bed with no dinner? Not exactly…”

I am a little perplexed at the lack of a dinner, as our dinners tend to be world famous. So okay we don’t have to have the full silver service and 3 bands, but my colleagues and I feel, that conference just won’t be conference without the dinner. I am prepared to be proven wrong, but with the lack of Sunday night drinks as well, just makes me wonder whether there has been too much shaven of the social aspects of conference. Yes there is a recession, but that shouldn’t stop us from having fun!

It’s not that there isn’t a dinner, but that the venue is different from previous years. It’s not in one big cavernous space, with silver service and the works for dinner.

It’s a cool place, SOL Square, with lots of different places to meet folks and hang out in, and you can mingle in the middle of the outdoor area. There’s plenty of space to dance as well 😉 There’s a great outdoor seating area that links the venues, where people can hang out and meet. Once we pack it with loads of librarian … it’ll be a lot of fun!

This way you can choose to eat and drink what you like, at the venue that suits you (and since it’s in the central city, there’s no major hassles to travel to or from the venue). There’s heaps of choice, from yakitori to fish and chips, something to suit all budgets and tastes.

What a great idea to have the big night out at a venue everyone can attend. Partners and friends not attending conference can have a chance to see how librarians let their hair down (at a reasonble cost). Good on the conference committee for planning the welcome drinks straight after the awards, great way to celebrate and acknowledge those who stand out in our profession.

This dinner will be especially world famous – something a little different from the norm. I really like the idea of being able to move around during the night – you can have a quiet drink with colleagues in one place, then go dance your heart out next door! Sol Square is a quite compact little lane of bars and restaurants, so it will still seem like one big event. A bit like Conference itself – all held in the one Convention Centre, but you pick and choose which parts you want to participate in.

Okay I have to concede to local knowledge, but will all the venues be open? I looked on their website and it said some of clubs weren’t open on a Tuesday. Are they making an exception for us? I hope so.

I was at sol square on Friday night and had a fabulous time. It is such an ambient space, and offers so many options whether you like to dance like a crazy, mellow with a cocktail, or enjoy fine dining whilst watching the hordes.

It’s seems a abit strange no having the world famous conference dinner but I’m sure we be surprised how much we enjoy this “new Conference styel dinner” It has great potential to be an absolutely awesome night for all.

For more SOL food, the August issue of local magazine Cityscape had a neat SOL feature:”Here’s a quick glance at all the restaurants, bars and cafés to be found within SOL Square, and a few anecdotes that reveal the quintessential nature of each venue”.

[…] teas) Include any other socialising possibilities such as SIG meetings and of course the SOL Square evening. These are the backbone around which the rest of the conference programme (and your exhausted […]

SOL Square was absolutely fabulous, one of the best “conference dinners” ever. A real fun night, networking, catching up and just plain socialising, the venuse were great the weather kind and the fast eddys night club awesome!